The Washington DC Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is proud to present, Matthew Conti, pioneer in Human-Centered Design, User Experience, and Usability. Usability is the ease of use and learnability of a human-made object such as a tool or device. Mr. Conti will be discussing the concept of Usability, going beyond technical applications and reaching into day-to-day things that comprise our daily experiences.

Please join us on Thursday, May 16, 2019 from 7pm to 9pm at the Torpedo Factory Art Center to learn more about Usability Design and its applications.

Matthew Conti BIOMatthew Conti is a multi-award and honors academic, artist, and consultant with a robust track-record in government ranging from aeronautical design, international development, to education, commerce and many more. While not being afraid to reframe the context in which he works to expand his perspective, he cares deeply about making things usable and integral to human experiences. The primary driving force of his daily commitment is to provide meaning and context to human interactions.

Before he rejoined government in 2015 his works-of-art reached over 90 countries and they are known for interactive concept design, interactive illustration and others. Before initially leaving the government in 2011 he worked and delivered Enterprise Roadmaps for the FAA and USAID. He is a known pioneer and believes in making things better.

He has presented in the past on Human-Centered Design and User Experience, and now Usability.

Paid parking is available across the street from the Torpedo Factory or you can take the free trolley from the King Street metro center. Paid street parking is available in most areas of Old Town Alexandria. There is limited free parking in nearby residential areas, but it is restricted to two hours. There are several garages within walking distance of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, too. For real-time maps to locate parking in garages, visit the ParkMe website or download their free iPhone app. Parking regulations are strictly enforced by the City of Alexandria. Parking is free after 9 pm, on Sundays, and on state holidays. Persons with proper handicapped identification on their cars may park free at any meter and are exempt from residential parking sticker requirements.

Please join the Washington DC ACM SIGGRAPH chapter for our annual demo reel and portfolio review night. Whether you are a graduating student looking to enter the job market, or are a seasoned professional contemplating a change, a dynamic demo reel and portfolio are a must. We will be reviewing demo reels and portfolios after which we will creatively discuss the works. Feedback will be provided on how best to showcase the skills, talents, and experience of each individual. If you don’t have a reel yet, feel free to join us and enjoy networking with other like-minded individuals.

Putting together a demo reel or portfolio can be challenging. How long should it be? What are interviewers looking for? If you are looking for ways to improve your present position, or shopping around for a new one, the time to polish up your demo reel is now. If you’re looking to hire, this will be a great opportunity to see a range of fresh new talent.

The Washington DC Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is proud to present, Rob Cloutier, owner of Digital History Studios. Joining Mr. Cloutier will be guest speaker Dr. Peter Inker, Director of Historical Research and Digital History at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality have the ability to enhance education for visitors to museums. Mr. Cloutier will be focusing specifically on his involvement with the Newseum’s Berlin Wall Experience VR exhibit for the HTC Vive. He will present on key concepts for museum exhibit design, logistics of VR technology within exhibit space, as well as how to design VR experiences that are intuitive for visitors who have never tried the technology before. Mr. Cloutier will cover several issues of incorporating VR technology in large public venues and how they may be incorporated into exhibit space.

Dr. Inker will be discussing the creation of AR experiences for The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Please join us on Thursday, March 21, 2019 from 7pm to 9pm at the Torpedo Factory Art Center as we explore the changing world of CGI with Rob Cloutier.

Rob Cloutier BIORob Cloutier, owner of Digital History Studios has been a 3D cinematic animator for the past 25+ years, 12 of which had been in the computer gaming field. He has worked on several high profile games such as Sid Meier’s Civilization IV, Sid Meier’s Pirates, Sid Meier’s Railroads, Rise of Nations and many other history-oriented titles. He has taught classes on 3D animation, and recently served as an Adjunct Professor at University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus (UMBC), teaching a course on Virtual Reality. He has also been active in the VR community organizing, hosting and presenting on several VR panel discussions for various groups in DC, Boston and Puerto Rico.

Dr. Peter Inker BIO
Director of Historical Research and Digital History, at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Virginia USA, the world’s largest open-air living history museum. Dr. Inker has a long track record of work in all areas of cultural heritage, archaeology, digital reconstruction, historical interpretation, and guest experience. PhD in Archaeology from Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd, where he taught classes in Classical and British archaeology, archaeological practice, material analysis, reconstruction and illustration. 30 years of archaeological experience, 12 years working with digital heritage in virtual and augmented reality environments.https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-inker-08a29218/

Paid parking is available across the street from the Torpedo Factory or you can take the free trolley from the King Street metro center. Paid street parking is available in most areas of Old Town Alexandria. There is limited free parking in nearby residential areas, but it is restricted to two hours. There are several garages within walking distance of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, too. For real-time maps to locate parking in garages, visit the ParkMe website or download their free iPhone app. Parking regulations are strictly enforced by the City of Alexandria. Parking is free after 9 pm, on Sundays, and on state holidays. Persons with proper handicapped identification on their cars may park free at any meter and are exempt from residential parking sticker requirements.

The Washington DC chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is proud to present, Adobe Illustrator Techniques and Tips III. Our chapter Chair, Mark Jette, will discuss one of his illustrations, from concept to completion, while demonstrating the various Illustrator tools and techniques along with how they were used in the creation of the artwork. Whether you are an experienced Illustrator user, or new to the application, there will be something for everybody.

The Washington DC Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is presenting an encore showing of the Computer Animation Festival Showcase. If you missed the show at the Torpedo Factory, this is your chance to catch it again. The Computer Animation Festival showcases some of the most dazzling and innovative animations from 2018, many of which were presented at the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival. We will also discuss our upcoming events for 2019.

For those who are not familiar, the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards. Since 1999, several works originally presented in the Computer Animation Festival have been nominated for or have received a “Best Animated Short” Academy Award.

Please join us on Thursday, January 24, 2019 from 7pm to 9pm at V! Studios as we showcase some of the best examples of computer animation from around the globe.

It is election time again! The Washington DC chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH will conduct our annual elections for chapter board positions during the meeting on Thursday, November 8, 2018 at V! Studios. After elections we will discuss events for the coming year as well as networking with peers in the community.

All eligible voting members of the Washington DC ACM SIGGRAPH chapter have been notified to nominate board members by October 28, 2018. The results of the nominations are posted below. The main requirement for a leadership position is all officers must be voting members of ACM and members of ACM SIGGRAPH. Information about the duties and responsibilities for each position can be found on our web site: http://wp.siggraph.org/washington/bylaws/

The Washington DC Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is partnering with the Torpedo Factory Art Center to host a Computer Animation Showcase. The Computer Animation Showcase represents some of the most dazzling and innovative animations from students and professionals around the world. Several of the animations were screened at the 2018 SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival.

For those who have not had the opportunity to attend a SIGGRAPH conference, the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival, a highlight of the conference, is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards. Since 1999, several works originally presented in the Computer Animation Festival have been nominated for or have received a “Best Animated Short” Academy Award.

Please join us on Thursday, October 4, 2018 from 7pm to 9pm at the Torpedo Factory Art Center as we showcase some of the best examples of computer animation from around the globe.

Paid parking is available across the street from the Torpedo Factory or you can take the free trolley from the King Street metro center. Paid street parking is available in most areas of Old Town Alexandria. There is limited free parking in nearby residential areas, but it is restricted to two hours. There are several garages within walking distance of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, too. For real-time maps to locate parking in garages, visit the ParkMe website or download their free iPhone app. Parking regulations are strictly enforced by the City of Alexandria. Parking is free after 9 pm, on Sundays, and on state holidays. Persons with proper handicapped identification on their cars may park free at any meter and are exempt from residential parking sticker requirements.

The Washington DC Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH would like to invite you to a SIGGRAPH conference recap. For those of you who did not get to go to the SIGGRAPH conference in Vancouver, our very own Kim Wallace and Roberto Ortiz, along with Member at Large Danielle Zaballos, will be sharing their experiences and insights from the conference! If you attended the conference, share your experiences with those who could not attend this year. Bring your laptop and flash drives and exchange photos! Show off your coveted Pixar teapot or other fun giveaways! Tell us about the cool parties we missed!

Please join the Washington DC Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH as we discuss the upcoming ACM SIGGRAPH Conference for 2018 in Vancouver, BC. The annual SIGGRAPH conference is a five-day interdisciplinary educational experience in the latest computer graphics and interactive techniques including a three-day commercial exhibition that attracts hundreds of exhibitors from around the world.

Topics discussed will include the latest trailers, new technologies, and the Computer Animation Festival. Board members who have attended past ACM SIGGRAPH conferences will also be presenting their perspectives on the conference as well as providing insight on preparing to attend this event. For those who are planning to attend the conference and would like advice on how best to present a demo reel or portfolio to potential studios, we will provide guidance on this topic.

The Washington DC Chapter of ACM SIGGRAPH is proud to present Joey Ponthieux, EMMY® award winning professional 3D animator and concept visualization contract artist for NASA. Mr. Ponthieux will discuss the dramatic improvements which have occurred in CGI technology over the past three decades, highlighting several high profile NASA animation projects produced during the span of his career, while discussing the unique communication concepts that are enabled or enhanced through the use of CGI.

Please join us on Thursday, June 21, 2018 from 7pm to 9pm at the Torpedo Factory Art Center as we explore the changing world of CGI with Joey Ponthieux.

* EMMY® is a formal trademark of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (“NATAS”)

Joey Ponthieux BIO
Joey Ponthieux is a professional 3D animator and concept visualization artist. With a career that began in analog graphics production for offset lithography, he is an EMMY® award winning artist with 30 years of CGI production experience in the areas of Higher Education, Broadcast News, and Aerospace Research. He is currently employed by Science Systems and Applications Inc., and assigned to provide advanced computer graphics support for the Aeronautics Research Directorate at NASA Langley Research Center.

Paid parking is available across the street from the Torpedo Factory or you can take the free trolley from the King Street metro center. Paid street parking is available in most areas of Old Town Alexandria. There is limited free parking in nearby residential areas, but it is restricted to two hours. There are several garages within walking distance of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, too. For real-time maps to locate parking in garages, visit the ParkMe website or download their free iPhone app. Parking regulations are strictly enforced by the City of Alexandria. Parking is free after 9 pm, on Sundays, and on state holidays. Persons with proper handicapped identification on their cars may park free at any meter and are exempt from residential parking sticker requirements.